It’s a real pity he has to stop playing now, he’s certainly one of the best players in Premier League history – I think there are better, but he’s definitely up there.” Aguero retires as a Premier League legend “He makes me think of Romario, the way that he used to play back in the day. I absolutely love him, years and years ago when he was at Atletico Madrid, I told Chelsea they should buy him. “I hope that he gets the recognition he deserves. Speaking at a Signathon Live event, former Chelsea striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink told Sky Sports: Hasselbaink: I suggested Aguero to Chelsea before Man City! The forward was also prolific at international level, having scored 42 goals in 101 appearances for Argentina, making him the third-highest goalscorer for the side behind Lionel Messi and Gabriel Batistuta.Īguero was part of the Argentina squad that won the 2021 Copa America. He scored 260 goals for the club in 390 appearances and won a host of honours, including five Premier League titles, six League Cup trophies and an FA Cup, among others.Īguero is the record goalscorer at Manchester City (260), and former manager Pep Guardiola has described him as a ‘legend’
He enjoyed a fruitful period with the Spanish side, scoring 101 times in 234 appearances in all competitions and won the Europa League with the club in 2010 in addition to the UEFA Super Cup.Ĭity signed Aguero from Atletico in 2011 and he became entrenched in the club’s history when he scored a dramatic late winner against QPR in the final game of the 2011/12 season to secure the team’s first Premier League title.Īguero remained at City for 10 seasons, and broke Eric Brook’s record to become the club’s all-time top goalscorer in 2017. Ilkay Gundogan says he gets goosebumps watching Aguero’s last-gasp winner against QPR in 2012 which secured the Premier League titleĪguero began his career at Argentinian club Independiente, scoring 23 goals between 2003-2006 before transferring to Atletico Madrid. In November, Aguero responded to rumours about his retirement and tweeted that he was feeling “positive” and making “progress” with his health.Īfter his first game in charge of the club against Espanyol in November, Barcelona boss Xavi said the forward’s situation was uncertain, but that the club would “follow the evolution of what he had” and hoped he would be able to “keep playing football”. “Everyone at Manchester City would like to take this opportunity to thank for his incredible contribution to our success over the last decade and wish him well in his retirement,” City posted on Twitter. Posting on Twitter, Aguero added: “Retiring under these circumstances is difficult, but life comes first – I’ve known that from the start.”Ĭity manager Pep Guardiola was one of several representatives from Aguero’s former clubs to attend Wednesday’s press conference, while the club also paid tribute to their former striker on social media. “So I made that decision about a week ago and I want to tell everyone I did everything possible to have hope, but there wasn’t very much.” “I was in good hands of the medical staff who have done their best and have told me the best thing would be to stop playing.
The decision I have made I have taken for my health, that is the main reason, because of the problem that I had a month-and-a-half ago. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video playerĪguero confirmed his retirement during an emotional press conference at the Nou Camp on Wednesday.Īn emotional Aguero said: “This conference is to communicate that I have decided to stop playing football.